80% of Teenage Girls Suffer Mental Illness After Sexual Assault

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Safety for men and women is one of the most important things that I value, which is why I write so much about consent. People need to ask permission before engaging in any type of sexual activity, but predators choose to violate this basic tenant of human decency and they take what isn't theirs.

Sexual assault leaves victims with lasting emotional scars, and a new study found that 80% of teenage girls who were sexually assaulted suffer from crippling mental health problems at least months after the attack, The Guardian reported.

Teen victims suffer from PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders after an attack, and these problems last at least four to five months after the horrific incident occurs. Victims who were abused in childhood carry emotional problems throughout their adulthood, the research also showed.

The study was conducted by the University College London, and it surveyed girls between the age of 13 and 17.

“Although poverty and social vulnerability are well-recognized risk factors for sexual assault, few studies have examined this among adolescents, or looked at the impact of vulnerability on mental health outcomes following sexual assault,” the lead author, Dr Sophie Khadr said to The Guardian. “The study emphasized the double disadvantage of young women who experience sexual assault. Their social vulnerability places them at higher risk of assault, with one in 12 reporting a further assault within four to five months."

If there are any sexual assault victims who are reading this blog, please know that you are not alone. Report the abuser to authorities, and talk to someone you can trust. For more information, contact the non-profit RAINN.